Lady&#39;s undergarment



E. L.. ROBERTS LADYS UNDERGARMENT Filed July 2 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 192% 11,519,265

E. L. ROBERTS LADY S UNDERGARMENT Filed July 2. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jn z/en for after/7y,

Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES ELLA L. ROBERTS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

LADYS UNDERGARMENT.

Application filed July 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ELLA L. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ladies Undergarments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ladies undergarments, and particularly to a form of undergarment which when worn will dispense with the usual petticoat and may be readily adapted to the form without discomfort and inconvenience.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an undergarment partaking somewhat of the characteristics of the type known as the 'leddybear. The garment may be made of any suitable material and is adapted to extend from a point below the arm-pits to the knees of the body, and is supported on the shoulders by means of narrow shoulder straps.

It will be understood that in garments of this character, now in vogue, the bottom of the garment is connected between the legs by means of relatively narrow extensions forming a part of the front and back, and adapted to be buttoned, clasped, or otherwise attached together, and usually a scam I is provided which extends vertically in the center of the back of the garment, which, aside from being inconvenient and uncomfortable to the wearer, is visible through the outer clothes and is therefore more or less unsightly.

It is an object therefore, of my invention to provide a garment of the character mentioned in which the vertical seam in the back is omitted and the front and back of the garment are oined together at the sides, whereby seams will be invisible, and to rovide the lower portion of the back, which extends around the trunk of the body in the form of a separate piece of material, attached at its u per edge by a seam to the upper portion of the back, and at its sides to t e front portion. This seam, which serves to connect the two portions of the back of the garment, extends horizontally on the back of the gar ment at a point about at the waist-line, and is so arranged that a pair of box pleats are provided in the center of the back and extend from the waist-line downwardly, where- 1921. Serial No. 482,218.

by ample fullness may be provided around the hips and the larger portion of the body, when such fullness is necessary.

This feature of the garment, however, preserves a straight line effect when the wearer is in erect position, and the skirt portion of the garment assumes a natural droop.

It will be understood in this connection, that other forms of garments of this character are at times uncomfortable and inconvenient when the wearer is bending over or in sitting posture, for the reason that there is not enough fullness in the lower portion of the garment, and the material draws taut, and in time the fabric of which the material is made may wear and tear, due to the excessive strain imposed thereon.

It is another object of my invention to connect the lower portion of the back and front of the garment by means of a continuous strap, or extensions, or the front portion and lower portion of the back may be integrally formed from a single pattern, so as to provide a continuous strip extending between the legs for the purpose of holding the garment in proper position on the wearer and preventing the upward creeping thereof on the body.

With these and other objects in view, I will now describe my invention in detail by reference to the annexed drawings, which show one practical embodiment thereof and a preferred form of garment.

In the said drawin s:

Fig. 1 is a back View of the garment in positlon on a person for use.

Fig 2 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the garment; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of the bottom portion thereof.

By reference to the drawings it will be seen that the garment embodies a front F, made out of a single piece of material. and a back comprising an upper portion B and a lower portion B. The front F and the back portion B are joined together by means of seams 1, 1 at the sides of the garment, and the back portion B is connected at its lower edge to the upper edge of the back portion B by a seam 2, extending across the waist-line. The portion B is also connected at the sides with the edges of the front portion F by means of seams necting the upper portion of the'back with said front portion. The upper end of the garment is formed into a horizontal enclrcling seam 4 to which shoulder straps S, S are suitably attached and are adapted tov extend over the shoulders of the wearer for supporting the garment on the body.

Said straps are so positioned at the top of the. garment inwardly of the sides, as to provide ample space outside of the straps through which the arms may extend, and

the top of the garment is adapted to bepositioned sufficiently below the arm-pits as to prevent discomfort and inconvenience to the wearer. The front portion F and the lower back portion B are joined togetherin the center andat the bottom by means of an extension E which is adapted to be posi tioned between the legs, so as to prevent the upward movement of the garment on the body. This extension is continuous and the front F is in effect a continuation of the back portion B, and is cut so that these portions may be integrally formed, as shown, or they may be made of separate pieces of material, if desirable, and sultably stitched together at the bottom. The structure shown however, is preferable for the reason that any seams at the point between the legs will be omitted and discomfort to the wearer will be obviated.

The back portion 13- has a pair of box plaits P, P which extend downwardl from the seam 2 at the waist-line to the ottom of the garment, so that when the wearer occupies a sitting posture or bends over, ample fullness will be provided in the bottom of the garment to accommodate the garment to the position of the wearer without discomfort and inconvenience, and also Without the attendant liability of tearing the material.

When the wearer of the garment stands erect, it will be seen that the plaits P, P will'draw the sides of the garment inwardly and the surplus material will be taken up thereby, so that no discomfort-ing or inconvenient folds will be formed at the sides or in the back, but when the body is bent over or in sitting position, these plaits aflord ample fullness-so as to permit the easy yielding of the garment outwardly toward the sides, for the purpose stated.

The legs of the body project through openings formed between the extension E and the sides of the garment, and in order to eliminate surplus material I cut the front and back portions F and B on a bias as at 5, 5, and provide pieces of material 6, 6. etc., for attachment to the front and back portions at such points, so that the arment, will taper downwardly and inward y from the hi s and droop comfortably and loosely over t e thighs.

It will bequite obvious that my garment is susceptible to modification within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of m the same is also susceptibe to ornamentation on thefront, back, sides and bottom, as may be deemed advisable and expedient, and

to satisfy all classes of the trade.

\ It wil be seen by reference to the drawings, thatall of the seams of the garment are arranged at such points that they may not be visible through the outer garments, and insure (perfect comfort to the wearer, which woul not be provided if the seams were extended vertically in the center of the back and front, as in other garments now 1n vogue.

Other necessary and desirable features will readily be understood by those familiar with the manufacture and use of such garments, and it will also be obvious that the garments may be inade of any suitable material with equal success and with like durability and comfort.

What I claim is:

A ladys undergarment comprising a front portion having its lower edge inclined downwardly from the sides, a continuing strip in the center thereof, diagonal portions attached to said lower edge on opposite sides of the center, an upper back portion at tached to said front portion at the sides and terminating -in a substantially horizontal line at the waist, a central back portion attached to the lower edge of the upper back portion and having its lower edge inclined downwardly to the center and continuing-in said central strip attached to said front portion, diagonal portions attached on opposite sides to the lower ed e of saidcentral back portion and attachecI to the diagonal portions on the front of the sides, leg openings being provided in said diagonal portions on opposite sides of said central strip, and a plait formed in said central back portion intermediate the sides, closed at the top and open at the bottom to provide fullness between the leg portions.

ELLA L. ROBERTS. Witnesses J. W. SHEELEY, IRENE BREEN. 

